steeldragons
Steeliest of the dragons
I really like some of the ideas so far, so I'm going to flesh some of those out and add a couple of things of my own.
1) Madness is insidious...neuroses and pathologies are usually multi-layered and ever growing. So I'm thinking "start small". Have it be a subtle, expanding and eventually enveloping madness. More specifics on that shortly.
2) The nature of the "vast power". We all know knowledge is power. The power of the wizard should begin to be evident in his "knowing" things. Maybe he automatically has knowledge of encountered creatures' weaknesses, vulnerablilities and how to exploit them...Maybe he is able to tell the party who is behind a particular problem before they ever gather any evidence. Maybe give the party warnings for traps they hadn't otherwise detected...find secret doors, etc. and in general make their adventuring MUCH simpler/safer.
All of this would appear to be beneficial to the party but would quickly become apparent to one, then two, then all of the party that something's "not quite right."
I'd say, have him pick one or two members of the party (logically those most diametrically opposed in alignment) to begin to...dislike and harass. Subtly or sarcastically mention their flaws or shortcomings. Snide comments about "mistakes" in battle. A contempt that spreads into a raging animosity over time.
Have him "confide" concerns with a chosen member of the party (preferably a LG or LN member, the "leader" or most powerful part member if possible) that grow into the wizard's unalterable believe that the Chaotic party member is most definitely out to get HIM if not foil the whole party's causes. If the NPC can create derision among the party...so much the better.
If you have characters with some kind of "secret" in their background that the rest of the party doesn't know...have him drop hints or subtle remarks to let the character know that HE knows...and there are no secrets from him...if this PC is the object of his harassment, so much the better.
In time, maybe, he gets one PC (or each of them at one time or another) alone an threatens them directly if they interfere with his "master plan"...his visage twisting in maniacal power. But he will have been such a boon and aid to the party as a whole, that this would be disputed by other party members.
3) I'm totally on board that he, in his Lawful Neutral to the throne-induced Nth degree insanity, firmly BELIEVES the chosen party member(s) are up to no good while he, in his newly acquired power, is trying to "set things right"...the "perfect judge" as someone noted. And the ice/cold based invoker is PERFECT for that kind of cold=aloof "blind justice" thing. Those that are in his way or can't see the perfection of his perspective are simply put, literally, on ice. Again, start slow. Have it be monsters and obvious criminals to begin with...nd spread out/grow from there to include anyone he views as "against" his perception of "the way things SHOULD be...that he can MAKE be with his power...for the betterment of all."
(By the time he's frosting innocents, the party should be pretty well convinced he's lost it. )
4) As part of his newfound power, I presume you are automatically making his spells do full damage...and I'd suggest making any saves against anything he casts automatically fail. EXCEPT for any members of the party that are in his presence when he sits on the throne...Protected by some "magical fallout" they may still save against him as normal.
This sets the party up as the ONLY people in the world that will stand a chance against him when they finally get to the understanding that he's mad and needs to be stopped.
5) I might suggest coming up with a little diddy/tune that he will begin to hum or whistle to himself at random odd times...infrequent at first, but eventually could become a kind of calling card. PC: "Do you hear that? Where's that coming from? Oh $#!T it's HIM! Get ready!!!"
6) I am stricken immediately by the cold/ice imagery and the idea of "cracks" in the ice...
What is "insane" to a LG person? The actions/decisions of a CE person! The CG cannot fathom the belief of the LE. For a Lawful Neutral person...insanity for them would truly be acting in a Chaotic Neutral way (at least as far as I understand/remember the old alignment chart. CN is the direct opposite, right?)
SO, have him begin to have "cracks in the ice" of his ultimate-Lawful Neutrality that the party can notice and pick up on. Humming the tune could be one indication. Outbursts of inappropriate laughter (say, at others' misfortunes or injuries) or irrational moments of anger. Some completely deadly trap or encounter that he lays for the party...possibly the wizard not even knowing HE set it up at first.
In short, have the uber LN begin to manifest a CN personality. Again, start slow. The cracks should be infrequent, and initially easily explained or ignored. The cracks get larger...eventually turn into fissures before the party puts 2 and 2 together to realize that these Chaotic outbursts or happenings are actually the plot of their wizard pal.
You could play it TOTALLY split personality (the LN doesn't know what the CN is doing and vice versa. Or have the CN TRYING to overtake the body) OR simply that the LN eventually degrades into the "madness" of CN decisions and actions.
Any way you play it, start slow. Have a few sessions between instances. Make the party really work and question...argue among themselves...before coming to the realization that "Yes, in fact, Super-Wizard be CRAY-ZAY!"
As I'm seeing it, whether they're still working with/for him or not, when they realize the problem, a) it's too late to "help" him and b) they then have the problem of having to figure out how they are supposed to stop him.
By the final climactic battle/face off they could be facing a completely splintered (but still immensely powerful) LN AND CN foe...like fighting two wizards at once...OR by that time, he could be, as your awesome profile pic
a complete off the hook, unfathomable psychotic Joker-esque LOON with no traces of his former self.
I'm also a big fan of the redeemable villain, so you could always throw a little "realization" in the mix of his most vile insanity. A sudden reverting to his original clear (and presumably good-natured) mind...but it should be fleeting, unpredictable, hopefully helpful to the party, but completely irretrievable. Just to add that angst to the party of "he's still in there." (I'm totally flashing back to the moment in the Dark Phoenix saga when Wolverine has the chance to kill Jean Grey and at that moment, she reverts back to herself and he can't do it...but I digress.)
No matter how you choose to go it, sounds like a really cool and fun tale your PCs are going to be undertaking.
Let us know how you decide to go.
--Steel Dragons
1) Madness is insidious...neuroses and pathologies are usually multi-layered and ever growing. So I'm thinking "start small". Have it be a subtle, expanding and eventually enveloping madness. More specifics on that shortly.
2) The nature of the "vast power". We all know knowledge is power. The power of the wizard should begin to be evident in his "knowing" things. Maybe he automatically has knowledge of encountered creatures' weaknesses, vulnerablilities and how to exploit them...Maybe he is able to tell the party who is behind a particular problem before they ever gather any evidence. Maybe give the party warnings for traps they hadn't otherwise detected...find secret doors, etc. and in general make their adventuring MUCH simpler/safer.
All of this would appear to be beneficial to the party but would quickly become apparent to one, then two, then all of the party that something's "not quite right."
I'd say, have him pick one or two members of the party (logically those most diametrically opposed in alignment) to begin to...dislike and harass. Subtly or sarcastically mention their flaws or shortcomings. Snide comments about "mistakes" in battle. A contempt that spreads into a raging animosity over time.
Have him "confide" concerns with a chosen member of the party (preferably a LG or LN member, the "leader" or most powerful part member if possible) that grow into the wizard's unalterable believe that the Chaotic party member is most definitely out to get HIM if not foil the whole party's causes. If the NPC can create derision among the party...so much the better.
If you have characters with some kind of "secret" in their background that the rest of the party doesn't know...have him drop hints or subtle remarks to let the character know that HE knows...and there are no secrets from him...if this PC is the object of his harassment, so much the better.
In time, maybe, he gets one PC (or each of them at one time or another) alone an threatens them directly if they interfere with his "master plan"...his visage twisting in maniacal power. But he will have been such a boon and aid to the party as a whole, that this would be disputed by other party members.
3) I'm totally on board that he, in his Lawful Neutral to the throne-induced Nth degree insanity, firmly BELIEVES the chosen party member(s) are up to no good while he, in his newly acquired power, is trying to "set things right"...the "perfect judge" as someone noted. And the ice/cold based invoker is PERFECT for that kind of cold=aloof "blind justice" thing. Those that are in his way or can't see the perfection of his perspective are simply put, literally, on ice. Again, start slow. Have it be monsters and obvious criminals to begin with...nd spread out/grow from there to include anyone he views as "against" his perception of "the way things SHOULD be...that he can MAKE be with his power...for the betterment of all."
(By the time he's frosting innocents, the party should be pretty well convinced he's lost it. )
4) As part of his newfound power, I presume you are automatically making his spells do full damage...and I'd suggest making any saves against anything he casts automatically fail. EXCEPT for any members of the party that are in his presence when he sits on the throne...Protected by some "magical fallout" they may still save against him as normal.
This sets the party up as the ONLY people in the world that will stand a chance against him when they finally get to the understanding that he's mad and needs to be stopped.
5) I might suggest coming up with a little diddy/tune that he will begin to hum or whistle to himself at random odd times...infrequent at first, but eventually could become a kind of calling card. PC: "Do you hear that? Where's that coming from? Oh $#!T it's HIM! Get ready!!!"
6) I am stricken immediately by the cold/ice imagery and the idea of "cracks" in the ice...
What is "insane" to a LG person? The actions/decisions of a CE person! The CG cannot fathom the belief of the LE. For a Lawful Neutral person...insanity for them would truly be acting in a Chaotic Neutral way (at least as far as I understand/remember the old alignment chart. CN is the direct opposite, right?)
SO, have him begin to have "cracks in the ice" of his ultimate-Lawful Neutrality that the party can notice and pick up on. Humming the tune could be one indication. Outbursts of inappropriate laughter (say, at others' misfortunes or injuries) or irrational moments of anger. Some completely deadly trap or encounter that he lays for the party...possibly the wizard not even knowing HE set it up at first.
In short, have the uber LN begin to manifest a CN personality. Again, start slow. The cracks should be infrequent, and initially easily explained or ignored. The cracks get larger...eventually turn into fissures before the party puts 2 and 2 together to realize that these Chaotic outbursts or happenings are actually the plot of their wizard pal.
You could play it TOTALLY split personality (the LN doesn't know what the CN is doing and vice versa. Or have the CN TRYING to overtake the body) OR simply that the LN eventually degrades into the "madness" of CN decisions and actions.
Any way you play it, start slow. Have a few sessions between instances. Make the party really work and question...argue among themselves...before coming to the realization that "Yes, in fact, Super-Wizard be CRAY-ZAY!"
As I'm seeing it, whether they're still working with/for him or not, when they realize the problem, a) it's too late to "help" him and b) they then have the problem of having to figure out how they are supposed to stop him.
By the final climactic battle/face off they could be facing a completely splintered (but still immensely powerful) LN AND CN foe...like fighting two wizards at once...OR by that time, he could be, as your awesome profile pic
a complete off the hook, unfathomable psychotic Joker-esque LOON with no traces of his former self.I'm also a big fan of the redeemable villain, so you could always throw a little "realization" in the mix of his most vile insanity. A sudden reverting to his original clear (and presumably good-natured) mind...but it should be fleeting, unpredictable, hopefully helpful to the party, but completely irretrievable. Just to add that angst to the party of "he's still in there." (I'm totally flashing back to the moment in the Dark Phoenix saga when Wolverine has the chance to kill Jean Grey and at that moment, she reverts back to herself and he can't do it...but I digress.)
No matter how you choose to go it, sounds like a really cool and fun tale your PCs are going to be undertaking.
Let us know how you decide to go.
--Steel Dragons
